Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – Overview
The Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) is a program aimed at supporting students from some Francophone countries in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas by providing them with enhanced opportunities for education and integration.
This initiative seeks to strengthen the presence of Francophone students in regions where French-speaking communities are underrepresented in Canada. The program also fosters connections with local Francophone communities, helping students build networks and succeed in their studies while contributing to the vitality of Francophone culture in Canada.
This article will help you navigate through the paperwork needed for applying, the eligibility requirements, the fees and process associated with getting a Study Permit through the FMCSP.
Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – Eligible Countries
To qualify or the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) program, you must be a citizen of one of the countries in Africa, the Middle East, or the Americas that are members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
The following countries are currently eligible to the pilot program:
- Bénin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haïti
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Niger
- Rwanda
- Saint Lucia
- São Tomé and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Togo
- Tunisia
Even if you are a citizen of one of the countries above, and are living in Canada, you cannot apply through the FMCSP. You can still however apply to a Study Permit through the regular process.
Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – Eligible Schools
The list of eligible Designated Learning Institution (DLI) under the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) program below is updated when new agreements are reached with other schools.
Last update: September 4, 2024
| DLI Name | DLI Number | Location | Earliest eligible semester | Type of funds required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick | O19391556654 | Bathurst, New Brunswick | September 2025 | Group D |
| Université de Hearst | O19395677925 | Hearst, Ontario | September 2025 | Group E |
| University of Alberta | O19257171832 | Edmonton, Alberta | September 2025 | Group A |
| Collège La Cité | O19395422135 | Ottawa, Ontario | May 2025 | Group A |
| Université de Moncton | O19391556532 | Moncton, New Brunswick | January 2025 | Group C |
The funds required depend on the location of the school. There are 5 groups:
- Group A : Population of 500,000 and over
- Group B : Population of 100,000 to 499,999
- Group C : Population of 30,000 to 99,999
- Group D : Population under 30,000
- Group E : Rural areas
The amounts of funds required for each group can be found below in the Eligibility Requirements section.
Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – Eligible Study Programs
You need an acceptance letter from a participating Designated Learning Institution (DLI) indicating that you’re applying through the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) and the study program meets the FMCSP requirements. Your study program must meet the following requirements:
- At the post-secondary level
- Full-time
- Duration of at least 2 years
- Lead to a degree or diploma
- Primarily taught in French (with over 50% of the classes conducted in French)
Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – Eligibility Requirements
To be able to obtain a Study Permit through the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP), you must:
- be a citizen of an eligible country,
- have a letter of acceptance from a participating designated learning institution (DLI) that says you’re applying under the FMCSP and that your study program meets the requirements of the pilot,
- be able to prove that your level of French is CLB 5 or higher, through test results from:
- Test d’évaluation de français (TEF Canada), or
- Test de connaissance du français (TCF Canada).
- live outside of Canada when you apply,
- get a medical exam (if applicable),
- get a police certificate before applying (if applicable), and
- have enough money to pay for:
- your tuition fees, and
- living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada for at least the first year (see table below).
Note that a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) from the province/territory where you plan to study is not needed for this program.
| Number of family members | Total Amount for 1 year (in CAD) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A Population of 500,000 and over | Group B Population of 100,000 to 499,999 | Group C Population of 30,000 to 99,999 | Group D Population under 30,000 | Group E Rural areas | |
| 1 | $20,635 | $17,772 | $17,662 | $16,161 | $14,206 |
| 2 | $25,690 | $22,124 | $21,987 | $20,119 | $17,685 |
| 3 | $31,583 | $27,199 | $27,031 | $24,734 | $21,741 |
| 4 | $38,346 | $33,023 | $32,819 | $30,031 | $26,397 |
| 5 | $43,492 | $37,454 | $37,223 | $34,060 | $29,939 |
| 6 | $49,051 | $42,242 | $41,982 | $38,414 | $33,767 |
| 7 | $54,611 | $47,030 | $46,741 | $42,768 | $37,594 |
| For each additional members | $5,559 | $4,788 | $4,759 | $4,354 | $3,827 |
Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – How to Apply
You can only apply for the Study Permit through the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) online. There are no exceptions.
You must have a debit/credit card to pay the fees and a camera/scanner to make electronic copies of your documents.
You may need to provide biometrics (fingerprints scanning and photograph). You can find more information on Biometrics in this page. If applicable, it is better to pay for the biometrics fee at the same time as your Study Permit application as to not delay the processing of your application.
